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Sir, Sir, 'me GAT doesn't work Sir!

I am a heretic. I like the No.4 Mk2 - and have fired it way back in the mists of time when the basic infantry unit was the maniple - as it's got a nice long sight-radius and just looks miles better than every other bolt-action service rifle.

But if I ever bought one it would be in the best synthetic stock I could save up for beforehand almost quicker than I could change the magazine.
 
I happened to be at the range this morning, with my trusty BSA built L1A1 & proceeded to hit the 300yd gong (12" square) with 19 out of 20 shots & 500yd gong (12" square) with 12 out of 20 shots using iron sights.

Bring back THAT rifle & Brittania will regain its empire & stamp out naughtiness by uppity fuzzy-wuzzies once & for all!

When I were a lad...

...ahem, sorry, got a tad nostalgic for a moment there.
 
Now You've done it, get ready for Hordes of SMLE defenders to assault you
Arguably the No4 Mk2 was the peak of Lee Enfield design. Look at the changes to make an easier weapon to construct. Every country bar the US and Russia went down the simplification road. The others went auto early. Look at what was left off the design from No1 to No1 MkIII and look at how much was learned about barrel harmonics stuff we don't even do anymore and compare to the simple and robust MAS Mlle 1936.
 
Amazingly strong action, smashing round, shit chargers, heavy enough to bash smelly students with, French doctrine worked well, no need to load one in the chamber until ordered to and additional safety by a trigger pull measured in days not weight!
What's not to like, oh yes the chargers were pants but if used properly capable of great accuracy when compared to the other offerings at the time.


And extremely robust rifles, totally drop proof.
 
Amazingly strong action, smashing round, shit chargers, heavy enough to bash smelly students with, French doctrine worked well, no need to load one in the chamber until ordered to and additional safety by a trigger pull measured in days not weight!
What's not to like, oh yes the chargers were pants but if used properly capable of great accuracy when compared to the other offerings at the time.

- and rear locking lugs. Quick bolt action too. Very handy job.
Youre right about french doctrine. The argument was that the alert states would be one in the chamber or none in the chamber. The first meant you were kicking off or just about to, the other meant it was quiet and the gun was safe in that configuration anyway.
An aside - My beef was the we didn't go rimless with the .303. But then we were skint in the inter war years and rechambering would have been a nause.
 
An aside - My beef was the we didn't go rimless with the .303. But then we were skint in the inter war years and rechambering would have been a nause.


We very nearly did, if it wasn't for the German and Soviet developments we would have started to rearm in 7.92 Mauser by mid 1945.
Source? Lecture on British automatic rifle development post WW1.
 
HK indeed make the parts for the upgrade. Whether they would make complete rifles to order is another matter


Agreed, wether they would… but now they make new receivers, they could, but no one would buy such an accursed object. Maybe they should relaunch it as the L666?
 
An aside - My beef was the we didn't go rimless with the .303. But then we were skint in the inter war years and rechambering would have been a nause.


We very nearly did, if it wasn't for the German and Soviet developments we would have started to rearm in 7.92 Mauser by mid 1945.
Source? Lecture on British automatic rifle development post WW1.


RAC used 7.92 all through the war
 
i-fear-no-tramp.jpg


Those were the days
 
Apart from the glee induced by resurrecting a thread that is over fifteen years old*, its interesting to note the concerns voiced herein about the A2...




* I remember when this was all fields. ARRSE was betterer then. Etc etc.

Possibly the longest zombie thread gestation on ARRSE.

I started reading it as it cropped up top of the list on “What’s New” and it was a good few posts in before I realised it was ancient.

Could just as easily have been started yesterday.

Has anything changed since 2002?
 
Possibly the longest zombie thread gestation on ARRSE.

I started reading it as it cropped up top of the list on “What’s New” and it was a good few posts in before I realised it was ancient.

Could just as easily have been started yesterday.

Has anything changed since 2002?


L85's got heavier and now comes with no one, not two, but three handgrips!


SA80A3-UGL-660x440.jpg


L85 Jonnie Seven OMA
 
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